Queens was a rural landscape filled with open fields and farms 120 years ago — a stark contrast to the bustling borough it is today.

Cord Meyer Development, a commercial real estate developer founded in 1904, has been headquartered in Queens since its inception and continues to play a significant role in shaping the borough’s built environment. 

The Meyer brothers purchased hundreds of acres of farmland in the area before it was even a borough, starting in the 1890s. This set the stage for modern Queens, Cord Meyer Vice President Joseph Forgione said. 

“They were involved in everything from building the first housing to installing the roads, sewer lines and other essential infrastructure,” he said. “They built entire neighborhoods and played a part in renaming two of the major neighborhoods in Queens: Elmhurst and Forest Hills. They then repeated this in Bay Terrace, where they had a family farm.”

After laying the foundation for several Queens neighborhoods, the company changed its focus to building apartments. By the early 1970s, the firm had 45 apartment buildings in its portfolio. 

In the ’80s, many of these properties were sold and converted to condominiums or co-ops, after which the firm entered the commercial space. The firm now owns and manages numerous high-profile commercial properties across Queens.

“Over the years, the type of real estate company that we've been has really changed, and it's always been to meet people’s needs at that moment in time,” Forgione said. “After managing our commercial properties for several decades, we’re seeing a new need in the market, which actually comes full circle for us: housing.”

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development estimated that NYC needs 700,000 housing units over the next decade to meet demand.

Cord Meyer is addressing this need with a two-pronged approach: revving up its ground-up development projects and transforming its older commercial properties into mixed-use communities. 

“We're looking first at some of the sites that we currently own in our own portfolio and assessing which ones have the most opportunity to add value,” said Danielle Molaison, vice president of development at Cord Meyer. “We have three projects under construction, with two of them in Queens.”

Cord Meyer is building a new residential community in an underutilized parking area at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center, a retail center it has owned for six decades. Construction began in April after the team secured a $75M construction loan. The project is being developed under the 485-x tax abatement program and will feature two five-story residential buildings totaling 145 residences. 

The residences will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with an array of upscale amenities, such as a rooftop terrace, green spaces, resident lounges and a live-in superintendent. 

Perhaps the most notable amenity, however, is its proximity to a supermarket, restaurants and national retailers such as HomeGoods, Foot Locker and Anne Taylor Loft. 

“Years ago, we moved away from the typical strip mall look and started to give the tenants their own individual character by first investing in the facades of the shopping center,” Forgione said. “We’re working towards making it a true mixed-use community with the addition of the residential component.”

In Elmhurst, the Cord Meyer team is working on a ground-up development at 90-32 Queens Blvd., a vacant lot the firm had owned for 60 years, across the street from Queens Center. This development will feature 93 residential units spanning seven stories, with 32K SF of retail and community space. 

Nineteen residential units at this property will be deemed affordable under the 485-x tax abatement program. Amenities of this ideally located property include a below-grade parking garage, a coworking lounge, a rooftop terrace and door attendant services — all right on the Queens Boulevard subway line.

The 102K SF building broke ground in October 2025 and is expected to deliver late 2027.

“The city is making some improvements to Hoffman Park on the south side of the property, which is a real opportunity,” Molaison said. “This building is playing a big part in transforming this area.”

Cord Meyer also broke ground on a mixed-use property in White Plains, New York. The site of a former car dealership, 70 Westchester Ave. will feature a 331K SF residential building with 203 units and nearly 10K SF of commercial space. 

This project is a joint venture between Cord Meyer and Saber Real Estate North, which is a different way of doing business for the firm, Molaison said. 

“This was an opportunity for us to diversify in a neighboring market while still bringing much-needed housing to New Yorkers,” she said. “We’re proud to bring our experience to White Plains and make a lasting impact on the community.”

As the firm continues to expand its presence in and beyond Queens, it is important that Cord Meyer builds with a purpose, Forgione said. Company leadership has focused on hiring a set of seasoned development and construction professionals. 

“Our CEO, Matt Whalen, has decades of experience in development and has been with Cord Meyer since 2019,” Forgione said. “We’re actively expanding our network of contractors, engineers and design professionals, and Matt is the main reason for the growth of our team.”

Forgione said that the firm has also focused on deepening its long-term community partnerships, particularly in eastern Queens. 

Over the past several years, Cord Meyer has donated to and worked alongside nonprofits such as Commonpoint Queens, St. Mary's Hospital for Children, and Dancing Dreams to support youth programs and community services benefiting Queens residents. 

“We're a developer who plans to own our properties for a long time, so the community is very important to us,” he said. 

This article was produced in collaboration between Cord Meyer and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content. 

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.